There can be no doubt that Córdoba, sheltered by mountains on the banks of the Guadalquivir, is one of the most emblematic cities in Andalusia.

Described as the “flower of Spain” by one who most loved this city, the poet Góngora, Córdoba is a lively, attractive, enchanting place, full of colour, a rich combination of heritage going back thousands of years and modern development.

Córdoba’s historic centre, which was catalogued as World Heritage in 1994, embraces the Mosque and surrounding area, stretching southwards to the other side of the Guadalquivir with the Roman Bridge and La Calahorra; to the east as far as Calle San Fernando; northwards to the shopping centre; and to the west to include the Alcázar de los Reyes and the San Basilio neighbourhood.

Architectural jewels such as the mosque-cathedral (catalogued as World Heritage in 1984), built between the 8th and 10th centuries on the site of a Visigoth basilica devoted to Saint Vincent and inspired by the mosque in Damascus; the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos; the unusual synagogue; and the surprising ruins of the Medina Azahara require no presentation, for they are all famed worldwide, attracting millions of visitors.

Ancient Córdoba is a complex labyrinth of narrow streets, a tightly-packed blend of Roman, Moorish, Jewish and Christian town planning featuring such universally-known images as the white walls contrasting with pots of red geraniums, tiny squares and nooks and crannies, oases of peace and beauty so accurately described by another poet, Antonio Machado, as “silent Córdoba”.

Aromatic Cordoban cuisine, with its sage use of olive oil, is definitely Mediterranean. The Moorish influence is noted in the preference for sweet-and-sour mixtures, and the use of almonds, pine seeds and raisins in meat and vegetable dishes. The Jews bequeathed the city several dishes, such as dry bean and aubergine stew and white gazpacho soup made from bean flour, as well as certain culinary arts. Amongst the most characteristic dishes here are gazpacho and its many variants, such as almond gazpacho, eaten with small slices of apple and raisins, or salmorejo, the same as cream of gazpacho but with no added water, accompanied by ham and hard-boiled egg. After the reconquest, Cordoban cuisine also adopted Christian influences, in the way meat is prepared and used, for example.